1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to waste processing machines and, more particularly, to a sideboard assembly for an infeed system of a waste processing machine.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known to provide waste processing machines to reduce waste material. The waste processing machine typically includes an infeed system for directing the waste material to a waste reducing system for reducing the waste material. An example of such a waste processing machine is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,863,003, Issued Jan. 26, 1999, to Smith, entitled xe2x80x9cWASTE PROCESSING MACHINExe2x80x9d, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. In that patent, the infeed system includes an infeed conveyor and a feed wheel assembly. The infeed conveyor has a terminal end spaced a predetermined distance such as one quarter inches (0.25 inches) from a rotor assembly of the waste reducing system. The infeed conveyor is the sole means of support for the waste material and acts as a primary anvil for reducing the waste material by the rotor assembly. Opposed side walls are provided on opposite sides of the conveyor to contain the waste material.
In operation, waste material is placed on the infeed conveyor, which moves the waste material into contact with the feed wheel assembly, which, in turn, rotates and feeds the waste material into contact with the rotor assembly of the waste processing machine. However, the waste material is typically loaded onto the infeed conveyor with a bucket of a front loader. Heavy waste materials such as tree stumps may fall out of the bucket onto the opposed sides of the infeed conveyor. When this occurs, a concentrated weight or load contacts one of the opposed sides, resulting in deformation of the opposed side. Since the opposed sides of the infeed conveyor are fixed and do not bend, the opposed side is bent and permanently deformed. As a result, the entire infeed conveyor must be replaced, which is costly and time consuming.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide an infeed system with sides that allow for bending when contacted by a concentrated load and prevents permanent deformation. It is also desirable to provide opposed sides for an infeed conveyor of an infeed system that are replaceable, if damaged, without replacing the entire infeed conveyor. It is further desirable to provide opposed sides for an infeed conveyor that is relatively inexpensive to replace if damaged and is not time consuming. Therefore, there is a need in the art to provide a sideboard assembly for a waste processing machine that meets these desires.
It is, therefore, one object of the present invention to provide a sideboard assembly for an infeed system of a waste processing machine.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a sideboard assembly for an infeed system of a waste processing machine that flexes and prevents permanent deformation of the infeed system.
To achieve the foregoing objects, the present invention is a sideboard assembly for an infeed system of a waste processing machine. The sideboard assembly includes a sideboard for attachment to a sidewall of the infeed system of the waste processing machine. The sideboard assembly also includes a plurality of fasteners for removably attaching the sideboard to the sidewall of the infeed system of the waste processing machine.
One advantage of the present invention is that a sideboard assembly is provided for an infeed system of a waste processing machine that acts as a spring to flex and prevent permanent deformation of opposed sides of an infeed conveyor of the waste processing machine. Another advantage of the present invention is that the sideboard assembly allows sideboards attached to opposed sides of an infeed conveyor to bend and not be bent. Yet another advantage of the present invention is that the sideboard assembly allows sideboards attached to opposed sides of an infeed conveyor to be replaced, without replacing the entire infeed conveyor. Still another advantage of the present invention is that the sideboard assembly allows for sideboards, if damaged, to be replaced relatively quickly and inexpensively. A further advantage of the present invention is that the sideboard assembly has sideboards that act as a load distributor when contacted with a concentrated load to prevent permanent deformation of the opposed sides of the infeed conveyor.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated, as the same becomes better understood, after reading the subsequent description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.